“At the site, a white Ford Titanium truck was found, with license plates from the state of Chiapas and inside a male person without vital signs who responded to the name of Marcelo ‘N’, father of the parish of Cuxtitali” said the prosecutor’s office, adding that “it will continue with the investigations.”
His death comes at a time when violence has intensified in Chiapas in recent years amid a dispute between powerful criminal groups over migrant smuggling routes.
From January to August, the state recorded around 500 murders, compared to 309 in the same period last year, according to official data.
“Father Marcelo has been a symbol of resistance and accompaniment for the communities of Chiapas for decades, defending the dignity, the rights of the people and the construction of true peace,” said a note from the Society of Jesus.
The Jesuit religious order also said that Pérez had actively spoken out against organized crime in the area.
“This region suffers not only murders, but also forced recruitment, kidnappings, threats and the looting of its natural resources.”
Earlier this month, the military fired on a convoy in that state that borders Guatemala and which, they said, they mistook for members of a criminal group. The truck was transporting a group of migrants and six people died.
